AfDB President Adesina conferred honorary PHD at UDSM graduation
DAR ES SALAAM: THE President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, has been conferred with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree (PhD) by the University of Dar es Salaam during its 55th graduation ceremony.
The degree was awarded by the University Chancellor, former President of Tanzania, Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, during the first session of the graduation, which saw 828 students graduate with doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, and diploma qualifications.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Adesina highlighted the growing scale of AfDB’s investment in Tanzania.
He noted that between 1971 and 2015, the Bank invested a total of 9bn US dollars in the country; however, when he joined the bank from 2015 to 2025 alone, the Bank supported 4.73bn US dollars, accounting for 53 percent of all AfDB financing to Tanzania for the ten years only.
He described this as a reflection of the Bank’s confidence in Tanzania’s development progress, with the country’s economic resilience and ambition of TZ leaders and reaffirmed AfDB’s commitment to supporting the country’s transformation.
Reading Dr Adesina’s citation, former University of Dar es Salaam Vice Chancellor, Prof Rwekaza Mukandala, described him as a visionary leader whose contribution to Africa’s development spans across sectors.
He cited key infrastructure projects supported under his leadership, including the Dodoma Outer Ring Road, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and the Arusha–Namanga Road.
Prof Mukandala noted that under Dr Adesina, AfDB implemented a Tanzania-focused strategy aimed at improving livelihoods and strengthening regional integration.
The strategy centres on two priority areas: sustainable infrastructure for a competitive economy and an enabling environment for private sector-led job creation.
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He said under his leadership, the Bank has supported major projects in road, rail, air, and water transport. Notably, AfDB contributed 64 percent of the 214m Us Dollar required for the construction of the 112.3-kilometre Dodoma Outer Ring Road. It is also financing parts of the SGR and co-funding the construction of the Msalato International Airport.
In the agricultural sector, AfDB is backing the Build a Better Tomorrow (BBT) initiative, designed to boost modern farming and empower youth.
As President of AfDB, Dr Adesina oversaw the largest capital increase in the Bank’s history, with shareholders raising capital from 93bn US dollars in 2015 to 208bn US dollars in 2019.
He said this expansion strengthened investor confidence and positioned the Bank as a leading development institution globally.
Dr Adesina also launched the Bank’s “High 5” development agenda: Feed Africa, Light Up and Power Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. These priorities have improved the lives of over 565 million people across the continent.
Under his leadership, AfDB has invested more than 55bn US dollars in infrastructure, making it Africa’s largest financier in the sector.
The Bank has launched food security initiatives benefiting over one million people, allocated 3bn US dollars for healthcare infrastructure, and another 3bn US dollars to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, AfDB introduced a 3bn US Dollar social bond and a 10bn US dollar emergency facility to help African countries mitigate the crisis.
Prof Mukandala described Dr Adesina’s leadership as transformational, noting its impact on sustainable economic growth, food security, infrastructure, and youth and women empowerment across the continent.
Finance Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba praised the University for recognising Dr Adesina’s outstanding contribution to Africa’s development and his visionary leadership at the helm of AfDB.
